Illuminating sidewalk-sign.



I. ALMQUIST & F. BURTON.

ILLUMINATING SIDEWALK SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30. L915.

1 ,272, 177, Patented July 9, 1918. 2 SHEETSSHEET I.

INVENTOR. J6]??? Aim an? 7 31117760 fizz rfan J. ALMQUIST & F. BURTON.

ILLUMINATING SIDEWALK SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30,1915.

1 72, 1 77., Patented July 9, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- INVENTOR. Jain? A/mqavz B y 760 19a 7707? ATTORNEYS.

JOHN ALMQUis'r nn FRED min'ron, or PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA.

ILLUMINATING SIDEWALK-SIGN. r

Specification of Letters Patent. .Patentefl uly Q, 1918,

Application filed June 30, 1915. Serial No. 37 ,193.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN ALM UIST and FRED BURTON, citizens of the United States, residing at Petaluma, in the county of Sonoma and State of California, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminating Sidewalk- Signs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in illuminating signs and more particularly to a type of sign adapted for use in sidewalks, the principal object bein to provide a sign which may be assemble complete and 111- stalled as a unit in the sidewalk.

Another object is to so construct the sign that it will be effective in attracting attention by day and night and also during the day will serve the same purpose as the usual prismatic sidewalk lights.

With these and other objects in view our invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts as herein illustrated and more specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing the lower portion of the store front with one of our improved signs installed in the sidewalk thereof.

Fig. 9. is an enlarged transverse section through the sidewalk showing the manner in which the sign is installed.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section through a portion of the sign.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View showing the hinged lid for the casing and the method of holding the same in position.

Fig. 5 is a view in plan of a modified formof sidewalk sign. 7

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section through one edge of the sign shown in Fig. 5'. v Fig. 7 is a view in plan showing a form of. prism used in constructing our signs.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view in perspective another form of prisms. r I

Referring to corresponding parts by the same numerals of reference, 1 denotes the sidewalk wherein is positioned, one of our.

improved signs, denoted in i by 2.

This sign consists in detail of a rectangular frame 3 having suitable lateral flanges 4 and being held in this 5 at-the top and bottom edges thereof and an intermediate rib 7 on the inside thereof forthe purpose hereinafter described. This casing may be formed by cast metal of various depths depending on the size of the sign.

The lid 8 ishinged to the lower flange 5 along one edge of the casing, this lid being adapted to contain lights for illuminating the sign at night. The opposite side of this lid is provided with certainslots 9 adapted to pass over the studs 10 in the flange 5. These studs are provided with nuts 12 having extensions 11 so that a quarter turn of the same will allow the lid to swing downwardly. This lid is ourvedin shape so as to provide'a more effective "reflecting surface and is so arranged thatwhen it-is rotated to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,

- the lights 14 therein ma be used for illuminating the area under t e sidewalk, the lids position by means of suitable hooks 15.

The sign itself is constructed preferably of a number of prismatic lenses'lfi, these lenses being arranged to form the. various letters and are held in position by being embedded in cement or concrete as shown at 17. This cement is reinforced by rods 18 forced .by'the rods 19, the lower edge of said beam resting on the inwardly extending flanges 7. The lenses are formed with cir-- cumferential ribs around the sides thereof so as to, be more effectively held in the celoo connecte at one end by a flexible. conductor so that the lid may be rotated to the position shown in Fig. 2. Thus at night time the lid is closed and held in this position by a quarter turn of the nuts 10 and when the lamps 14 are lighted the prisms 21 are illuminated forming bright letters on the sidewalk, which are effective in attracting attention. During the day the light may be rotated to allow the extra light to enter into the sidewalk area and if this is insufficient illumination the lamps in the reflector which are turned upside down may be lighted to secure additional illumination.

The modified form shown in Fig. 5 is intended primarily for small signs wherein the entire sign is made of one piece of glass 32. This glass" is held in a frame'3l of T section and rests on a rubber or flexible pad 33.

The under side of the glass is painted-or provided with other opaque means 34 in which are cut the letters 35 allowingthe light to shine through to form the sign, said light being supported as heretofore described.

. It will also be noted that the letters may be formed of prisms of other shape than circular, as illustrated in Fig. 1. For instance, in Fig. 7 where the letter 23 is formed of long and short rectangular prisms 24 and 26 and the arcuate prisms'25. In this system we find that rectangular prisms of three lengths and arcuate prisms of two radii enable us to form the combinations necessary to produce all letters of a given alphabet. For other heights of letters an arc-shaped prism 25 would have a difl'erent radius and to overcome this objection and enable a large number of sizes to be constructed from a minimum number of prismatic shapes we provide a'square prism as at 26. in Fig. 9-and segmental prisms 27, which by suitable arrangements can be used to form any desired curvature.

Thus it will be-seen that we have provided a convenient and improved form of side walk sign, and while we have shown the preferred embodiment of our invention it will be understood that minor changes within the scope of the appended claims may be made in construction and design without debowl normal y closingswung to one side out of the lines of projectionof extraneous rays of light passing inwardly through said sign.

2. An improved sign comprising a body shaped to be inserted in a side walk, a sign consisting of a body formed of opaque and transparent portions supported by said body, a reflecting bowl normally closing the bottom of said body, lamps carried by said bowl, and hinge means connecting the bowl and the body, whereby the bowl may be swung to one side out of the lines of projection of extraneous rays of light passing in- Wardly through the sign.

3. An improved sign comprisin a body shaped to be inserted in a side wa a sign consisting of a body formed of opaque and transparent portions supported by said .body, a reflecting bowl normally closing the bottom of said body, lamps carried by said bowl, hinge means connecting the bowl and the body, whereby the bowl may be swung to one-side out of the lines of projection of extraneousv rays of light passing inwardly through the sign, and locking devices attached to the bod and positioned'to engage said bowl.

top and bottom edges, a. sign body resting on said flange and having transparent portions, and illuminating means suspended from the said bottom edges and positioned within the supporting body below said sign.

5. An improved sign comprising a sup porting body of substantial depth shaped to be JOHN ALMQUIST.

FRED BURTON.

Witnesses:

H. A. RESPIM, T. V. H MPHREYS. 

